Mike Zielinski, also known as Zeke, offers his entertaining and insightful take on politics, sports and topical events. Zeke has been a prolific and creative sports columnist, news columnist, blogger and wordsmith with a lifelong love affair with prose.

Obama's veto could shut down the nanny state

The federal government machine whirs like a giant Transformer.
But circle March 4th on your calendar. That’s the day the government could stop whirring
That, of course, would be cause for some serious jubilation among folks who despise big government. After all, no government would be one step better.
Here’s the back story:
President Obama threatened today to veto the GOP’s temporary government funding measure, which would cut this year’s spending by at least $61 billion. He argued that the bill starves crucial programs, like college aid, and threatens national security.
Without college aid, students would drop out and enjoy a longer spring break but then would have to go through life drunk and stupid. And with compromised national security, Lapland could invade us.
Just as ominous would be the feds on hiatus. D.C. would become a ghost town, with tumbleweeds blowing across the Beltway.
Funding for the government’s day-to-day operations runs out March 4. If a measure isn’t passed before then, the government simply will shut down.
Since the gulf between Obama and Republicans is oceanic, a shutdown is a real possibility. And that would put government workers on the street — not a good place to be during rush hour — or on a par-4 with the wind at their backs.
That prospect doesn’t particularly trouble House Majority Leader John Boehner.

“If some of those jobs are lost in this, so be it,” he said before heading for his next Merlot, cigarette and tanning session while the rest of us ponder what happened to the GOP mantra of jobs, jobs, jobs.
Actually, perhaps it’s best if the federal government does grind to a screeching halt since it’s become nothing but a gigantic nanny state.
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) took aim at First Lady Michelle Obama and her trademark health initiative, claiming her recent efforts to encourage mothers to breastfeed their children were really part of a plan to implement a new nanny state.

Is it just me or does Bachmann make Elmer Fudd sound like a toastmaster?
But, and may scorpions perch on my tongue for saying so, Bachmann actually has a point.
Bachmann, who said she breastfed all five of her children, says the concept of creating a federal program that rewards such a practice is outrageous.
“To think that government has to go out and buy my breast pump for my babies? You wanna talk about the nanny state, I think you just got a new definition,” Bachmann said.
I thank her for keeping us all abreast of the situation.
And in a closing note, why is it that some Micheles only have one l while other Michelles have two l’s? Perhaps we need a federal regulation on the proper spelling of Michel(l)e.
And that decree has gotta happen by March 4.